As part of the 'Four Pillars' of security the union is seeking from the business, the CWU had put forward an alternative 'Wage in retirement' proposal to address Royal Mail's plan to replace the current defined benefit pension scheme with a far less generous one.

A reduction to the working week, extensions to the legal protections promised after privatisation and a commitment to grow the business make up the other 'pillars'.

With 'gig economy' practices now commonplace in postal, courier and delivery companies a 'race-to-the-bottom' has opened up, which Royal Mail wants to be part of.

With what could be a bitter dispute looming, CWU and other trade union activists must link the dispute to calls for Royal Mail to be renationalised as an initial step to a publicly owned postal and delivery industry, democratically run by workers and customers.